Password: MXBOP
by Impulse5
Summary: MXBirds of Prey crossover! When Mutant X tracks down the Birds of Prey for the location of the new Dominion head quarters, they run into problems on the way. Pairing: JL
1. Ch 1

  
  
**A/N:** I'm so sorry to those fans of BlindSight, but I couldn't keep on writing it for personal reasons, so I have this crossover that I wrote a long time ago that I just edited to fit post-Assault. It's a crossover between the short-lived WB series Birds of Prey and Mutant X. For those who don't know about Birds of Prey-it's a continuation of the Batman legend, starting with Batman and Catwoman's child, Helena Kyle along with ex-Batgirl Barbara Gordon. The Birds of Prey is a vigilante group residing in New Gotham City, consisting of three women (besides my new character) Helena Kyle, Barbara Gordon, and Dinah Lance. In Birds of Prey, instead of mutants, people with extraordinary abilities are called metahumans. I will explain everything in the story. Oh, by the way, If you are a fan of Birds of Prey, Helena and Reese (another Birds of Prey character) are not together.  
  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything from the WB Network, DC Comics, or Tribune. Mutant X and Birds of Prey don't belong to me. However, Carli Connors and Jason Tomson I do own.

* * *

Chapter One  
  
Carli came down the stairs. "It's Saturday!" she exclaimed to Barbara who was sitting at the computers as usual. Carli was dressed in her favorite dark blue jeans and black Converse All-Stars, what stuck out in her attire was her white T-Shirt with "Reality Sux" printed plainly on the front.  
  
"What are you going to do today?" Barbara asked.  
  
"Go to the mall and pick up the new CD I ordered," she explained.  
  
"Need a ride? I need a reason to wake Dinah," Barbara said.  
  
"Nah-not now, I have to stop by No Man's Land anyway and Dinah's on strike since Gibson took out the live band," Carli answered. No Man's Land was the metahuman-bar where everyone with superpowers hung out. Gibson was the owner and also a friend of Helena's.  
  
"Okay, see you later."  
  
"Yeah, later," Carli confirmed before exiting into the elevator.

* * *

Carli was fourteen-years-old, dark chestnut hair that fell slightly below her shoulders, and deep sapphire pools for eyes. She had a light build but even through her baggy T-shirts anyone could tell she had some muscle. From her appearance, which mostly consisted of band and screened T-shirts and jeans, you would never guess that she was easily the second wealthiest person in the city. The first wealthiest being her older half sister, Helena Kyle. Carli and Helena shared the growing fortune of Bruce Wayne, the third wealthiest person in the country. No one knew of their inheritance, only a few select people; Dinah Lance-Redmond, Barbara Gordon, and Alfred Pennyworth. Carli's biological mother, Julie Connors, was killed from cancer over a year ago. Ever since then she had been living with Barbara Gordon and Dinah Redmond while Helena Kyle lived in a small apartment above a bar called the Dark Horse.   
  
"Jess?" a voice snapped him out his reverie.   
  
Jesse snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Lexa, he tapped the screen of his laptop. "Carli, she's our way in."  
  
"Remember, we want Oracle, not some fourteen-year-old Goth," Lexa reminded.  
  
"She's not Gothic, she's a hardcore non-conformist," Jesse said with a smile.  
  
"Whatever she is, we can't spend too much time with her. Barbara Gordon knows more about the Dominion than we do," Lexa explained. "Including where we can find Adam."  
  
"You know Carli's a mutant?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Really? I didn't see her name in the database," Lexa said.  
  
"Well, she wouldn't be, her mother was a patient at Genomex in 1989. Right before Carli was born," Jesse explained. "Propulsionist ... superspeed," he clarified. "And Molecular Manipulation."  
  
"What is that?"   
  
"Well, it's a new mutation. She can speed molecules of solid matter to the breaking point-in other words, she can blow things up," Jesse explained. "_And_, there have been sightings of her actually freezing things as well, freezing time."  
  
"Sightings? Like she's been using her powers in public?" Lexa asked incredulously.  
  
"New Gotham is a city of secrets, Lexa," Jesse understood. "No one says anything."  
  
"Anyway, what about the others, the metahumans?" Lexa asked.  
  
"Helena is a feline-feral like Shal, really. Dinah is a very powerful psionic, if metahumans would classify their abilities. Precog., telepath, telekinetic ..." Jesse trailed off. "Plus, she's even an Elemental."  
  
"With what abilities?"   
  
"Sonic, or what she calls her Canary-Cry ... supersonic frequencies from the mouth, crumbling concrete, shattering eardrums that kind of thing," Jesse answered.  
  
"Damn, kind of makes you wish you were in the same boat, huh?"   
  
"Kind of, Oracle is human, so it won't be hard getting to her if nothing else works. The problem is getting past the other three."  
  
"We can handle it," Lexa paused. "So, are we going to New Gotham?"   
  
"I'll fill Bren and Shal in," Jesse walked away from his laptop. Ever since Sanctuary and the Helix were destroyed, everyone had to pull all their resources to get supplies for their search for Adam and the Dominion.

* * *

Carli walked into No Man's Land bar, the actual bar was below No Man's Land Collectables. No humans were allowed in the bar, with the exception of Barbara. Gibson Kafka, a geeky metahuman in a bowling tee and sneakers, was sitting at the bar.  
  
"Carli Connors ... here again?" he asked without looking up from his drink.  
  
Carli wasn't surprised that he knew she was there, Gibson never forgot anything. A sight, a smell, a touch, a feeling, he never forgot anything. "I have to make up for the absence of Helena."  
  
Gibson looked up cheerfully. "Ah yes, the other half ... fruity soda?" he piped up as he bounced off the stool and ducked to the other side of the bar.  
  
"I can't stay long, I have a CD to pick up," Carli explained.  
  
"Okay, raincheck?"   
  
"Of course."

* * *

The Double Helix soared through the air. Shalimar frowned. "You think this is a good idea? Going after a feral's kid sister?"  
  
"It'll be fine," Jesse assured.  
  
"If Carli was my sister, I'd kill you," Shalimar said.  
  
"We're not going to kidnap her, we're going to talk to her into letting us talk to Oracle ... Or Barbara Gordon," Lexa argued.  
  
"From what I've read of Oracle is that she has a double identity going on. Barbara Gordon is a school teacher at New Gotham High School. It would be easier to talk to Barbara Gordon at the school," Brennan suggested.   
  
"We want to get on her good side, guys. Tracking her down publicly to the school isn't the way," Jesse answered.  
  
"But manipulating her prodegy is?" Shalimar asked more amused than angry.  
  
Jesse let go of the steering wheel and looked back to the backseat, Lexa leaned to grab the wheel before loosing control and looked at Jesse unbelievably. "Just bear with us, okay? Trust me, I know what I'm doing."  
  
"Okay,," Shalimar said.  
  
Jesse turned back around and Lexa let go of the steering wheel and Jesse grabbed it. Lexa observed him for a second. "You're nervous," she whispered.  
  
Jesse's breath caught in his throat. "Of course not."  
  
"Yeah, sure," she said sarcastically.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope I gave you an idea of what this is about, trust me, this is just the Exposition part it will get better, I promise. 


	2. Ch 2

Mutant X drove into New Gotham around eight o'clock at night. Lexa pressed a button on her cell phone to end a call. "All right, my contact says the just saw Carli rounding the corner on Seventh Street maybe five minutes ago."  
  
"Boy, and here I thought you were talking to your bookie," Brennan said with a smirk. "You know too many people, Lex., you should get rid of some."  
  
Lexa chuckled. "You're telling me, I've been trying to get rid of you for months," Lexa said with a wink, Brennan laughed.  
  
Jesse drove with one hand down Seventh Street, and Shalimar sniffed the air. "There are dead people around here."  
  
"I'm sure there are," Jesse replied. "New Gotham has the highest rate of deaths in any city in the U.S.," Jesse informed.  
  
"Damn, those girls must be very busy," Brennan said.   
  
"Start looking if we want to catch her," Lexa instructed. "Jess, why don't you park somewhere?"  
  
Jesse nodded and pulled into a small parking space near an alley. The four of them walked down the dark alley, Lexa avoided stepping in a puddle. "God, this place just says welcome, tourists, doesn't it?" Lexa asked sarcastically.  
  
"New Gotham reminds me of Hell's Kitchen in New York," Jesse said, looking around. The streets were wet from a previous rainstorm, and a rotten smell of garbage filled the air with a hint of exhaust from cars.   
  
"What? Have you heard stories about it, Pretty Boy?" Lexa teased, Jesse snapped his head around with his jaw hanging open, Lexa laughed.  
  
"And this Barbara Gordon is the one person they all ran to? Carli lived in Metropolis and Dinah lived in some town Missouri . . . I wonder why she's the popular foster mother," Lexa changed the subject.

* * *

Carli patrolled the streets, the little deserted alleys had all the action, so naturally she wasn't allowed there. Helena and Dinah took over the bigger scenes by themselves while Carli, forever young to their eyes, took either the small stuff, tagged along with Helena and Dinah, or stayed in the Clock Tower with Barbara. Carli had only been staying with them for nearly a year and she hadn't completed her training yet. She was lucky to have her own codename, Impulse. Barbara had Oracle; Helena had Huntress, and Dinah had the Black Canary.   
  
"Impulse," Barbara's voice echoed in Carli's ears through her comm set.  
  
"Yeah?" Carli asked as she established a connection. The Bird of Prey's communications relied on a medallion and stylish earrings. They were all girls, so they had to look good.  
  
"How's it going over there?" Barbara asked.  
  
"Quiet as a tomb, but I'm sure you already knew that," Carli answered. "How are the more experienced Ops, Oracle?"  
  
There was a pause before she answered. "Fine."  
  
"Anything happens where they're at?" Carli pressed.  
  
Another pause.  
  
"Right, listen, I'll tell you if anything happens. Out." Carli disabled the link before Barbara said anything, Carli knew Barbara hated bragging about her favorite operatives' war stories.  
  
"Are you talking to yourself?" Lexa asked behind her.   
  
Carli stopped and turned around, four adults were standing in the alley. "Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't listen to our private conversation," she said slyly as she turned back around and started walking.  
  
"Carli, wait," Shalimar called.  
  
Carli stopped and turned around. "Who're you?"   
  
"We're mutants . . . " Jesse explained.  
  
Carli blinked a few times. "Mutants don't exist, and therefore have nothing to do with me. So, if you'll excuse me," Carli turned around for a third time.  
  
"Playing human?" Shalimar asked. "It's okay. We're not from around here."  
  
Carli sighed and turned to face the two men and two women. "I don't know how you know about me, but it's safer for you to go away."  
  
"We're not going anyway," Lexa snapped.  
  
Carli took a step back. "Too bad, because I am," she disappeared in a blink of an eye.   
  
Jesse dropped his head. "Damn, she went into super speed," he cursed. "Thanks, Lexa."  
  
"Jesse, I see what you're doing but we don't have time. If the Dominion finds out what we're doing--"  
  
"They won't," Brennan interrupted, he looked around. "Hey, where'd Shal go?"  
  
Lexa looked around as well. "She went after Carli."

* * *

Buildings, cars, and people flooded past Shalimar, working her legs the hardest to keep up with Carli. Shalimar was fast but she could never match Carli's speed. Shalimar saw Carli two blocks ahead, she looked like she was in normal speed but all around her was nearly frozen. It took concentration to weave between everything to get to her. Carli was running without looking behind her, Shalimar figured that Carli didn't know she was being followed. Suddenly, Carli turned onto an alley, Shalimar turned as well. Carli had stopped and was inhaling deeply.  
  
"You're a quick one," Shalimar said, breathing hard.  
  
Carli stood straight quickly, now aware of the stranger. "So are you," Carli took a preparing step back like she did before.   
  
"I'm not going to hurt you, if I was going to I would've when your back was turned," Shalimar reasoned.  
  
"You ran three miles in ten seconds to what?" Carli asked, fully recovered from her brisk run.  
  
"Three miles, really?" Shalimar asked.  
  
Carli took another step back. "You didn't answer my question."  
  
"You might've heard of me . . . I'm from Mutant X," Shalimar started.  
  
Carli's eyes widened. "Oh . . . well, why didn't you say so? We've been waiting for you."  
  
"We-who?" Shalimar asked.  
  
"Oracle saw you coming and told us to look out for you," Carli explained. "You're here to talk with her right?"  
  
"Yeah . . . you'll take us to her?"   
  
"That's what I'm here for," Carli answered with a shrug. "We should go get the others then," Carli took a step toward the street. "I'll race you."  
  
"I already know you'll win," Shalimar said with a smile.  
  
"I thought ferals liked playing games?" Carli asked.  
  
"You know me?"  
  
"Just your powers," Carli answered.  
  
Shalimar nodded. "Oh, then I'm Shalimar."  
  
"Carli . . . what do you say? I'll give you one second."  
  
Shalimar disappeared followed by Carli.

* * *

"Should we stay here?" Brennan asked.  
  
"Like we can compete with feral and a speed freak," Lexa said.  
  
A gust of wind blew by them, Jesse looked and saw Carli and Shalimar standing there. "I so had you!" Carli exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Shalimar said with a grin. "Carli, this is Brennan, Jesse, and Lexa."  
  
Carli nodded. "Carli . . . So, are you ready to see Oracle or what?"  
  
Lexa paused. "Yeah . . . "  
  
"Take us to your leader," Brennan said with a grin.  
  
"Okay, come on," Carli turned around and started to walk.  
  
"How'd you get her to help us?" Jesse asked as he began to follow Carli.  
  
"Just had to say the magic words," Shalimar answered vaguely.  
  
"What-pretty please?" Lexa asked with a frown.  
  
"No . . . Mutant X."

* * *

Carli led the four through a hallway. They were on the ground-floor of New Gotham Clock Tower. She stopped them at a silver door, obviously a door to the elevator. A silver pad was implanted in the wall next to it. Carli pushed her hand on it, when she took her hand away, a blue lighted imprint of her finger and palm prints remained. Suddenly, the pad raised from the wall and slid away to reveal a keypad. Carli pressed some numbers, a light above the keypad turned green and the large silver door opened to reveal the elevator cab.  
  
"All that to get into an elevator?" Brennan asked.  
  
"There's no more, I promise," Carli replied as she walked inside.   
  
"Has anyone gotten past this?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Once . . . but that was pre-Carli days," she answered.  
  
When they were all inside, the door slid shut and the ride began. The room was big enough so none of them felt cramped. Carli sat down and crossed her legs.  
  
Lexa looked down at her. "What are you doing?"  
  
Carli looked up. "You've seen how tall this Tower is, we're going all the way up to the top floor."  
  
"Oh, great," Lexa said sarcastically with a sigh.   
  
"Hey! You wanted to talk to her, beggars can't be choosers," Carli responded.  
  
Shalimar walked the short distance and sat next to Carli, she smiled warmly. "So, what powers do you three have?"

* * *

When the elevator door opened, all of Mutant X was getting to their feet as Carli walked out first. "Barbara?"   
  
Lexa looked around, the lair was all high-tech walking from the elevator door, a ramp led to a circular platform. The platform was surrounded by sleek, flat screen computers. Pillars rose from the platform where large screens were placed, a map of the city was on one of the large screens, two dots were close to each other on the other side of the city. Beyond the circle of computers was the face of the clock, around the computer were little rooms, in one room was a couch and in another was a desk littered with books and papers no doubt belonging to the two students, Dinah and Carli.  
  
"Barbara?" Carli called again.  
  
It was the entrance of Barbara Gordon a.k.a. Oracle that awoke everyone from their observations. She had fiery red hair and flashing green eyes, but what had surprised them was that she wasn't walking. Barbara was sitting in a high, motorized wheelchair. Barbara was raised to about five and a half foot but it was still a shock.  
  
"As promised," Carli introduced.  
  
"Good," she praised Carli but her eyes never leaving Mutant X. "Tell Helena and Dinah to come back to the Tower."  
  
Carli nodded and walked into one of the small nooks. "Oracle?" Lexa asked.  
  
"Oh, call me Barbara, please. You must be Lexa, right?" she asked, moving to the circle platform and turned back around to face them. "I saw you coming across the state line and sent the girls after you."  
  
"So Carli has told us . . . how do you know about us?" Brennan asked.  
  
Barbara smiled. "Brennan?" Barbara waited for a nod this time before going on. "Brennan, we know you're here to get some Intel on the Dominion."  
  
"How do you know all this?" Lexa asked, getting defensive.  
  
"We've known since we got this . . . " Barbara pressed a button on her keyboard, the center of the platform glowed. Light beams came from the center and formed the image of Adam Kane.  
  
"Oracle, I've sent you this to warn you. All our fears of the Dominion have come true. The corruption is deep. I've spent the last year trying to narrow it down but I've been coming down to the same result, our enemy is the Dominion. They have too much power over science, if they establish all control over the Children of Genomex, they'll eventually come after metahumans. My team, Mutant X, is now aware of this. If I know them, they'll be trying to get any information they can on their enemy, I've left clues in their system to lead them to you, Oracle. Tell them all you know about it . . . but be careful, Barbra, the eyes of the Dominion are everywhere," the hologram disappeared. Carli walked up the ramp and nodded to Barbara, she passed Mutant X and leaned on a computer table next to her.  
  
"So you know Adam?" Jesse asked.  
  
"When Carli came on the team and I had found out about her mutation, I tracked Adam down to get information about it . . . as you've possibly figured, New Gotham isn't famous for New Mutants," Barbara explained. "He kept me posted about the Dominion."  
  
"So, because of Carli you know so much about the Dominion?" Jesse further questioned.  
  
Carli grinned. "Oh, no, no need to thank me. I help people for a living," she said sarcastically.  
  
Barbara looked at Carli. ''Apparently, my reputation proceeds."  
  
Carli dropped her jaw. "You? Sure, take all the credit," she pouted.  
  
"Carli . . . " Barbara scolded her.  
  
"What, just trying to lighten the mood," she shrugged.  
  
"Why don't you see what's taken them so long?" Carli walked off mumbling something under her breath.  
  
Barbara turned back to Mutant X. "You shouldn't have come all the way here, once your contact knows that you've been gone, he'll start to get suspicious."  
  
Jesse looked at Lexa. "Actually, no, he wouldn't. He's helped us before, I think he's on our side."  
  
Lexa shrugged with a frown. "Sort of."  
  
Brennan gave them a questioning look. "We'll worry about that later."  
  
"Okay," Barbara began. "Because it's so late, we'll pour over Adam's research and video files tomorrow."  
  
"What? Why?" Lexa asked.  
  
"Well, you don't think we can read one year of research in one night, Lexa. You think Adam was sitting on his ass the whole time?"   
  
"I don't see why not, his holograms did most of the talking," Brennan muttered, Lexa and Jesse laughed a little while Shalimar gave them a scornful look.  
  
"Carli," Barbara called over. "Go move some overnight stuff out of your room for Shalimar and Lexa, and you'll stay with Helena for the night, you four can sleep in the two top floor rooms."  
  
Shalimar laughed. "No problem."  
  
Carli dropped her jaw. "What do you mean no problem, Helena can barely keep a house plant alive?!"   
  
Barbara gave Carli a stern look and Carli began up a spiral staircase identical to Sanctuary's. The guests smiled to themselves, "need any help, Carli?" Shalimar offered.  
  
"I wouldn't mind . . . oh and by the way, Helena and Dinah are on their way, Barbara."  
  
"Okay," Barbara answered. "Um the rest of you should tag along, Carli will show you the kitchen if you're hungry."  
  
Carli waited until all four of them were coming up the stairs before she went up to the second story. The second floor was actually a wide catwalk that surrounded the first floor. Like the story below, there were small rooms with more couches. However, one of the rooms had a table and chairs and next to the dining room was the kitchen. "That's the kitchen, your rooms are this way," Carli said as she took a few steps down the hallway.  
  
"You know, if you don't feel like sharing your room, we can always take one of those couches," Lexa suggested.  
  
"No, of course you can stay in my room, I was just being difficult," Carli excused. They past two doors and then they came to the last two doors that were across the hall from one another. Carli opened the door to the right, revealing a large bedroom. Complete with a bed, desk with her own computer, couch, and a large screen television. The walls were plastered with posters of movies, television shows, and rock bands. In a corner was a guitar, and two stacks of CD's and DVD's.   
  
"Um, the couch folds out and the computer has a DVD player if your bored ... any questions?" Carli asked as she picked up an empty backpack from the floor.  
  
"Nope," Lexa said.   
  
Carli nodded. "Oh, Jesse and Brennan, your room is right across the hall. You'll have to come in here for entertainment because nobody lives in that one. The bathroom is right next door to the guys' room to the left."  
  
Brennan and Jesse nodded and walked out, Carli walked to the wall and turned a small doorknob to open a closet. "So, how long do you think you'll be staying here?" she asked as she walked into her closet.   
  
"Until we get what we need," Lexa answered.   
  
"Okay, too bad, you're the first mutants I've ever met," Carli answered as she came out, stuffing clothes into her backpack.   
  
"Awe, sorry, but Adam is now in the Dominion and we have to find him," Shalimar apologized.  
  
Carli shrugged. "Well, with an excuse like that ..." she smiled and walked to the door. "See you tomorrow." Before she had touched the doorknob, the door opened and Helena and Dinah walked in.  
  
"Hey," Carli greeted them. "I'm staying with you tonight."  
  
"Yeah, I heard," Helena said with a frown. "Barbara just can't get rid of you fast enough, can she?" Carli shrugged, Helena looked past her to the strangers. "Hi, I'm Helena," the brunette introduced, her brown locks were a little lighter than Carli's and her hair was shorter as well. Helena was wearing black leather everywhere, a black leather coat trailed to her ankles and black leather pants and a black top.   
  
"Hey, the Matrix called, they want their clothes back," Carli joked, spotting Lexa and Shalimar looking at her sister's outfit.  
  
Helena made a face at Carli. "Why don't you wait at the elevator for me, Carli?" Carli moved past Helena and Dinah and disappeared around the doorframe.  
  
Shalimar nodded. "I'm Shalimar."  
  
"Lexa."   
  
"Ah, Shalimar the feral, right? Well, nice meeting you, we'll see you tomorrow then," Helena walked out the door, leaving the young blond Dinah.  
  
"Right, well, I'm Dinah if you haven't guessed. My room's right next to yours if you need anything," Dinah was also dressed in black with a glossed leather coat that went down to her ankles as well.   
  
'Must be a trend in New Gotham,' Shalimar thought. 'I remember when I did as well.'  
  
Dinah was gone, Lexa sat down on the couch. "Man, I'm tired."  
  
"And I thought Sanctuary was crowded," Shalimar said with a smile. Lexa got up and folded out the couch before lying down. "Goodnight, Lexa."  
  
"'Night, Shal."

* * *

A/N: Sorry to disappoint, but I had to make sure that all characters were all introduced so if you're still not satisfied, just hang around until the next chapter so you can get to see some metahuman/mutant bonding and some thoughts about how Jesse really feels about Mutant X's job in saving the world.


	3. Ch 3

* * *

Lexa sat up, murmuring woke her, voices were coming from the first floor. She looked to Shalimar on the bed, dead asleep. "Some kind of feral," she whispered. Curiosity got the better of her as she got up from the couch to the door. Light poured from the cracks of the doorway, she opened the door and walked barefoot down the smooth hallway. Lexa past Dinah's doorway, the voices became clearer, and Lexa recognized one of them as Carli and some male. "Carli and a boy at this time of night?" she thought out loud. Suddenly, a door behind her opened. She wheeled around to see Jesse coming out of his bedroom, and her heart skipped a beat. Jesse's fair hair was tousled from sleep, his chest bare, and his eyes were tired.   
  
"Jesse, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she whispered hoarsely.  
  
Jesse smiled. "Have you been reading my journal?" Lexa smiled and rolled her eyes. "So, you've heard them too?" Jesse asked, motioning toward the railing, guarding the computers.  
  
"Yeah, it's Carli and some boy," Lexa explained.  
  
Jesse stood still and listened. "That would be Jason, Carli's friend, super strength metahuman. I met him earlier."  
  
Lexa nodded. "How long have you been awake?" Lexa asked,   
  
"Brennan started snoring so I guess I haven't actually gone to sleep," he answered, he walked next to her and nodded toward the light. "Let's see what they're up to."  
  
Lexa nodded and they walked to the end of the hallway together and stopped at the balcony but keeping well hidden. Carli and Jason were on the computer platform, sitting in chairs and looking at one of the large screens. Lexa looked to the screen and put her hand over her mouth. "Jesse, look," she whispered. Jesse turned to see what had surprised Lexa. On the screen were images of Mutant X, all flooded together. Flashes of Jesse on the computer and then an image of Shalimar in the dojo a second later. Next was an image of Jesse and Lexa together playing chess, smiling challengingly; the next flash was Shalimar and Brennan sparring in the dojo. The next flash was Lexa and Jesse sitting down on the floor in a cell.  
  
"Oh, no," Lexa whispered. She remembered this moment just as it happened on the screen. Carli and Jason watched as Lexa kissed Jesse not once but twice.  
  
Carli reached to the keyboard and paused the image. "So that's what they're hiding."  
  
Jason crossed his arms. "And how'd you get all this?"  
  
"Dinah," Carli began. "When she shook Lexa's hand . . . her mind was more open than Shalimar's, Shal's thoughts weren't clear enough for Dinah to project."  
  
"Bummer . . . we'd get some kickass fight scenes from that girl-I checked her profile, she put lots of people in hospital beds," Jason replied. "And Lexa doesn't seem to be the kind of person to have an open mind."  
  
"Uh-same things with Helena . . . Barbara said that a person who has a closed heart has an open mind for telepaths, some kind of spiritual thing."  
  
"She doesn't really look like she has a closed heart by the looks of that," Jason said with a nod toward the still frame.  
  
"Look at this," Carli pressed another key, the image unfroze and Lexa grabbed Jesse's collar and threw him down, Carli froze the image.  
  
"I stand corrected," Jason answered.  
  
"And let's take into account that her mind was under control . . . " Carli said.  
  
"How do you know that?" Jason asked.  
  
"Lexa's medical files that we got from Sanctuary's backup database . . . some implant on her nervous system I think."  
  
"But what about this one?" Jason pressed a few keys, the images flew by until he stopped at an image of Lexa crouched down by a man, crying.  
  
"Um-I don't know who that is . . . a relative maybe? Not all of them can be completely out of family," Carli explained. "That's sad. They seem close."  
  
"Past tense, he's dead," Jason observed. "They're brother and sister. The resemblance is uncanny."  
  
Lexa took a step back from the balcony, feelings of that day flooded in, Jesse put his arm around her gently.  
  
"Carli, don't you think this is invading someone's privacy? Lexa just lost her brother and you're watching like it's no big deal," Jason observed.  
  
Lexa looked at Carli to hear her answer. Carli turned to look at Jason. "We all lose people, Jason, all of us . . . I'm just trying to know what's she not saying."  
  
"Oh, and what do you think she should have said, Carli? Hi, I'm Lexa, I'm from Mutant X. Oh and by the way, my brother died a few months ago."  
  
Carli bit her lip. "Jason, do you think that they came to New Gotham without doing some homework?"  
  
"They did if they knew you were a mutant and they probably know your mom's dead but they didn't peek into your personal thoughts," Jason argued.  
  
"Listen, we're about to give them some really important information that they could get themselves and us killed. I want to know whom they're giving it to," Carli said calmly. "And if they want to borrow Dinah to read our minds, they can go ahead, I have nothing to hide."  
  
"Maybe you don't . . . and didn't they tell you that they want to find their friend? Adam-something?"  
  
Lexa backed away, Jesse noticed her growing anger. He grabbed Lexa's hand and pulled her into the hallway. "Where do they get off---" Lexa began.  
  
"Shh, they are only doing what they think is right," Jesse interrupted.  
  
"They?" Lexa asked. "Seems it's only Carli who is doing it."  
  
Jesse looked back to the railing. "We'll talk to Barbara about it tomorrow, okay?"  
  
Lexa thought about it. "Okay . . . hey, Jess?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you think I have a closed heart?" Lexa asked, a smile playing on her lips.  
  
Jesse laughed. "Of course not, goodnight, Lexa."  
  
"Goodnight," Lexa opened her door and walked inside.  
  
Jesse took one last look at the light at the end of the hallway and then turned into his bedroom.

* * *

The next morning, Carli walked from the elevator carrying her backpack with Helena behind her. Barbara was at the computers, opening up all the files that Adam had sent her over the past year. "They're not up yet, Carli, put your stuff down until they are."  
  
"Okay," Carli agreed and tossed her backpack near the stairs.  
  
"How was your night?" Barbara inquired.  
  
Carli groaned. "Helena's apartment can no longer sustain life . . . I'm going to eat something."  
  
"Okay, Alfred is up there. He can whip something up for you." Carli went into super speed and zoomed up the stairs.  
  
Helena leaned on the table and crossed her arms. "You think we're doing the right thing? Helping them like this?"  
  
"I trust Adam's judgement."  
  
"I don't," Helena answered roughly. "After what he did with-what was it-Genomex? Ruining all those people's lives by slapping an expiry date on them? I really think we should reconsider this."  
  
"Come on, Helena, you of all people should believe in second chances . . . plus, by messing with their genetic code, he cured a lot of their diseases."  
  
"Right," Helena said, unconvinced.

* * *

Carli sat down at the table and Alfred brought her a plate of food. "There you are, Miss Carli," he said in a British accent.  
  
"Thanks, Alfred," Carli answered and she grabbed her fork.  
  
Jesse and Brennan walked inside the dining room. "Mmm, what smells so good?" Brennan asked.  
  
"That would be breakfast, Master Mulwray, shall I serve you plate?" Alfred asked politely.  
  
Brennan recognized the greying old man as the butler, Alfred Pennyworth. "Yes, sir."  
  
"And what about you, Master Kilmartin?" Alfred went on.  
  
"I wouldn't mind, thanks," Jesse said politely, though he was starving on the inside. Jesse sat down at the table, followed by Brennan.  
  
"How'd you two sleep?" Carli asked.  
  
"Like a baby," Brennan answered.  
  
"I know," Jesse snapped sourly.   
  
Alfred came back with two more plates of breakfast and set them down in front of the two young men. "Thanks," Jesse replied.  
  
Shalimar walked into the dining room, drawn in by the smell. Alfred smiled delightfully. "Ah, Miss Shalimar, good morning. Will you be eating breakfast this morning?"  
  
Shalimar threw a sidelong glance at Brennan and Jesse, feeling like she was in the Addams Family. "Oh, yes."  
  
"I have bought you fresh clothes, all waiting for you along with a hot shower," Alfred said on his way out.  
  
"Clothes? How'd he know our sizes?" Jesse inquired.  
  
"Don't ask, you think Barbara knows everything? She has nothing on Alfred," Carli said with a grin. "Hey, Shal, is Lexa awake?"  
  
"Yes, just getting things together," Shalimar answered, sneaking a fork onto Brennan's plate and stealing a bite.  
  
"Hey! Yours is coming!" he shouted.   
  
Carli laughed before walking to the hallway. She reached her bedroom door and knocked once before opening the door. Lexa was having a little trouble folding the couch back up, Carli hurried and forced it back. "Thanks," Lexa said, exasperated. "What's up?"  
  
Carli put her hands in her pockets and bit her lower lip, wondering if she was doing the right thing. "I wanted to apologize . . . " she started.  
  
"For what?" Lexa asked, turning to face Carli, she sensed that Carli had a problem with apologizing not unlike Lexa herself.  
  
Carli sighed. "I made Dinah use her telepathy to get some info-very personal info about you. Let's not get too deep into what I saw, anyway, I'm sorry."  
  
Lexa smiled. "It's okay, but don't do it again."  
  
"Promise," Carli said, making Scout's honor sign with his fingers.   
  
Lexa walked to the door and opened it, she struck an idea and turned around. "Oh, and by the way, he was my twin brother." Before Carli could say anything, Lexa disappeared behind the door.  
  
Carli shook her head and grinned. "She is totally my new best friend," Carli said before walking out the door.

* * *

All of Mutant X was eating breakfast as well as Carli and Dinah, Helena raced up the spiral staircase. "Carli, are you done?"  
  
Carli looked at her half empty plate, noticing her sister's impatience she shrugged. "I guess so."  
  
"Meet me in the training room. Now," Helena snapped and walked off, her anger speaking volumes.  
  
Lexa looked at Jesse and Dinah and Carli looked at each other. "Oh man. She's pissed."  
  
Carli shrugged as she dropped her napkin on her plate. "Barbara can do wonders. Pray for me." Carli zoomed off toward the training room.  
  
"What was that?" Brennan asked.  
  
"Usually when Helena's angry, she likes to fight. Carli's the only one who's fast enough to give her a challenge," Dinah explained with a shrug.  
  
"Whoa, and I thought Lexa was a firecracker," Brennan thought out loud, deserving a dirty look from Lexa.  
  
"She could have asked me," Shalimar suggested. "Feral versus feral could have been a match."  
  
"Can we watch?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Sure, but I'd give it a few minutes before we go out there, though," Dinah replied. "Helena likes to vent usually."  
  
"Do you usually talk about her behind her back?" Lexa asked.  
  
"He asked!" Dinah pointed at Brennan.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Carli and Helena were still in the center of the mat in the training room. Carli breathed heavily, a sweat drop swept down her face. Helena was getting angry all the time recently, and Carli was working all the time for Helena. "Want to go again?" asked Carli.  
  
"Sure you can take it?" Helena asked, a hot glare soared toward Helena and she gave a curt nod. Carli moved toward her and kicked high toward Helena's face. Helena moved out of the way and swatted Carli's leg down, making Carli lose balance. Helena grinned to prove that Carli had let her guard down. To stomp on Helena's ego, Carli back flipped and mildly kicked Helena in the face.  
  
"Easy, Tiger, this is how I get tips," Helena teased, pointing to her face.  
  
Carli grinned, but Helena used this resting moment to try and hit Carli in her face, on reflex, Carli isolated her arm and made it go into super speed to block Helena's fist. Helena's arm flew to the side at an accelerated rate that she lost her balance and fell, twirled in the air, and landed on her back.  
  
Carli stepped back in amazement and then helped Helena to her feet. "Ow!" Helena whined. "Since when could you isolate your body parts, Carli, that really hurt!"   
  
"Reflexes?" Carli asked.  
  
Shalimar, Brennan, Jesse, Lexa, and Dinah walked inside the training room. Shalimar looked around at all the weapons and punching bags. "I've heard of siblings fighting but this is ridiculous," she joked, her wild blonde waves hanging loosely about her shoulders.  
  
Brennan grinned mischievously. "I'll go a few rounds with big sis," he suggested.   
  
Sensing that it was a pausing time, Carli walked to the side of the mat and grabbed a towel. Helena followed, Carli tossed her a towel, and Helena gave half a smile. "I bet you would."  
  
Shalimar gave Brennan an incredulous look and looked at the many weapons, Helena's watchful eyes preyed on Brennan as if he had a dangerous plan of some sort. Shalimar pulled a sword from a rack and twirled it around. "What do you say, Helena? A couple of rounds with me?"  
  
Helena tossed the towel back to Carli. "Me?" She guessed that Shalimar was territorial like herself and to Shalimar, Brennan was territory. Helena didn't take it personally that Shalimar saw Helena as a threat, because sometimes the animal inside was a little too much to handle. Helena nodded and Shalimar took off her leather jacket to reveal tensed muscles.  
  
Carli walked to Jesse, Lexa, and Dinah that were hanging behind toward the door. "Who else sees this as a bad idea?"  
  
All three of them raised their hands a little. "Either they're going to kill each other, or they are going to wreck this room," Dinah observed.  
  
Lexa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but Brennan looks like he's having the time of his life."  
  
"Sick amusement much?" Carli inquired as she threw the towels into a hamper by the door. "This is going to be good, though, I might be out of a job while Shal's here."

* * *

A/N: Finally, all the intros are done! Now comes the fun stuff, Enjoy! 


	4. Ch 4

* * *

Helena and Shalimar shared a small smile as they heard Carli. Shalimar centered her thoughts, making sure her reflexes were primed and ready for action. Shalimar relied on her body and pressed it to its limits. Her vision focused on Helena's eyes as they changed to a lighter blue, the pupils narrowing. Shalimar decided to give Helena a taste of her feral eye, they flashed a bright yellow. Shalimar pounced, literally, and jumped high and kicked Helena in the face before she landed. Helena, instead of falling on her back, used her momentum to back flip and kick Shalimar in the face, mimicking her sister's move. Shalimar was surprised by the move and she fell on her back before she flipped to her feet. Helena smiled admirably to catch Shalimar off-guard, she kicked low at Shalimar's feet. Effortlessly, the feline-feral New Mutant jumped high. Helena used this moment to whirl around and kick high at Shalimar's waist the blonde was still in the air. Shalimar was blown back, but she landed on her feet as always. She took a moment to refill her lungs after the air was knocked out of her. Helena was a true hunter because she used Shalimar's resting moment to try and hit Shalimar in the face, Shalimar anticipated this and moved inside of Helena's fist and grabbed it with her opposite arm and kicked Helena in the gut.   
  
Helena doubled over then straightened her posture. "Quick move."  
  
Shalimar took the compliment and smiled but knew better then to drop her guard, and Helena knew she didn't drop it because she didn't pounce. Instead, Shalimar made the first move against the brunette. She whirled around and tried to kick Helena again, this time she was ready, Helena jumped high and back flipped away from Shalimar's blow. The spectators were having way more fun watching the two fighting ferals---Mutant versus Metahuman. Brennan, in his own sick pleasure, was grinning madly while Jesse was trying to anticipate their moves. Dinah and Carli were watching their big sister in action, and Lexa was watching Brennan, disgusted. Shalimar was about to hit Helena in the face when Helena backed away. Shalimar was confused then she heard Barbara's voice. "Are you done working out your anger yet?" she had said.   
  
Helena and Shalimar smiled at each other before Helena touched her pendant. "And then some," she answered. "Ready to give these four what they want?"  
  
"Bring 'em back . . . in one piece, please," Barbara answered before the connection ended.  
  
Helena turned off her comms by pressing her pendant again and looked to Shalimar. "You're good . . . come on, let's get you your information." Helena walked over, Carli threw her a towel before she walked into the elevator and disappeared behind the door.   
  
Shalimar smiled to herself, Lexa's eyebrows furrowed. "What happened?"  
  
Carli laughed. "I think Helena just found her match. And that, my friend, is acceptance. You're lucky, took me a week and I'm related to her."  
  
Jesse saw Lexa who was still confused, Jesse touched her arm to get her attention. "It's a feral thing, protecting the territory, you know."  
  
Lexa frowned. "Oh," she paused and then turned to Shalimar. "Damn, you ferals are confusing . . . all mammalians are."

* * *

Brennan, Shalimar, Jesse, and Lexa met Barbara and Helena at the computer platform while Dinah and Carli stayed behind. Barbara pivoted her wheelchair to face the four mutants while Helena sat on a clear space on the computer table. "Now, tell me. The Creator and Adam are with the Dominion?"  
  
"Yes," Lexa answered.  
  
"From what I've gathered, Adam was cloned to keep his science going . . . and if the Dominion has him, then he has succeeded. They need Adam's research to shape human evolution---"  
  
"Yes, we know that," Shalimar interrupted.  
  
Barbara widened her eyes, searching her memory for information to tell them. "If that is correct, then Adam was brought to the Dominion so he could take his host's--the Creator's--place."  
  
"What?" Lexa asked incredulously. "Adam would never join the Dominion."  
  
"You did," Helena snapped.  
  
Jesse, Brennan, and Shalimar all avoided contact with Lexa. Lexa pointed a finger at Helena. "That was to save my brother and you know it."  
  
Helena eyed Lexa's index finger, knowing perfectly well where Lexa's lasers protrude from. "If there's one thing I know about humans, it's that they are easily happy with continuing their obsessions," Helena paused and lifted an eyebrow. "Adam's still human."  
  
Lexa realized that Helena was nervous about Lexa's anger and she dropped her finger and turned to Barbara. "Go on."  
  
Barbara sighed. "If he is leading the Dominion now--he still wouldn't forget your protection, so I think it's safe to say that he is looking for you to make you join the Dominion either--Or, he is calling off their troops to stop looking for you. Either way, I think your lives are safe. Anyway, the actual council is still going to come out with a master plan that Adam had uncovered in his research. They don't have Mutant X to do their dirty work anymore. They'll have to do it themselves."  
  
"Do what, exactly?" Lexa pressed.  
  
"Come _on_!" Helena said. "Adam's research to prolong humans' life span? To successfully manipulate the genetic code without any consequences? Today's humans are going to die out as well as mutants and metas for the birth of these new and improved humans. Complete extinction of all races."  
  
Barbara nodded. "They're not going to just sit there with _this_ in their laps. No one will survive."  
  
"Mutants are a biological time bomb as it is . . . only Jesse's life is prolonged only to the average human's life if everything goes OK," Shalimar argued. "We're going to die out anyway."  
  
"Okay . . . so what's to lose? Your expiry dates are coming, why not go out with a bang?" Jesse inquired.  
  
"The man has a point . . . plus, if you quit, the rest of us will die, what a shot to your conscious," Helena said. "This is your fight, Mutant X, we're just a detour to help you get things figured out."  
  
"Do you have any idea where the Dominion would set up shop?" Brennan asked.  
  
"No, I couldn't even anticipate their last headquarters. I'm sorry," Barbara apologized. "The Dominion has been a secret for the past one hundred-sixty years . . . even before that."  
  
"That's why we came to you, Barbara, everything depends on us," Jesse said.

* * *

Helena led Mutant X to a large table in the center of No Man's Land, apparently depressed by the news that Barbara had given them, Helena thought it was a perfect time for free drinks from Gibson. Carli and Dinah joined their friends in opposite corners, Lexa observed that they didn't belong to the same circles. "This place is sort of the metahuman-underground, a "safe haven" for metas . . . and occasional mutants. That's why it's always busy."  
  
"Can we use our powers?" Shalimar asked.  
  
"As long as they don't cause mass destruction, I guess so, Carli does all the time," Helena said as she saw her sister zoom by in a blur.   
  
Brennan smiled and shot a small Tesla coil at a blinking lightbulb, it surged with light. "It was bugging me."  
  
Gibson came by with a tray full of glasses, he served them all and then exhaled. "So, Mutant X, how are you enjoying our city?"  
  
"It's a whole lot better with such a beautiful hostess," Brennan said charmingly.  
  
Gibson eyed him suspiciously, Helena's eyes flared metahuman feral blue at Brennan and Gibson relaxed. "You don't have to tell me. Oh-yes, Helena, your . . . sister . . . " he switched his choice of words as Helena turned her head toward him. "Will be performing soon . . . along with her friends."  
  
"Ah, you finally folded on the live band thing," Helena teased.  
  
"What? Your sister's music wouldn't be called ..." Helena blinked as Gibson trailed off, wondering what he was going to say, the man opened his mouth and closed it before he walked off.  
  
Lexa laughed. "I love the control you've established over men, Helena," she said admirably.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Helena said, lightly blushing. "Speaking of that . . . " Her hand whipped out toward Jason who was walking by, she wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled him to the table.  
  
"Dammit," Jason swore under his breath.  
  
"Jason . . . now, for you to avoid further embarrassment in front of our guests, I'd suggest that you shut up and listen," Helena began.  
  
Jesse looked horrified at Lexa, imagining what Lexa could pick up from Helena and use against him while Shalimar was already learning.   
  
"What is it, Helena?" Jason asked, raising his eyebrows. "Your jealousy of my ability to sing finally gets to you?"  
  
Helena grinned. ''I heard you picked up my sister-my baby sister-on your motorcycle last night and took her some place . . . where?"  
  
Lexa and Jesse looked at each other, remembering the events of the night before, both wondering if they had to bail the young boy out.   
  
Jason smiled. "If Carli would ever call me in the middle of the night to take her somewhere . . . other then the Clock Tower," he hinted. "You'd hear about it . . . on the _news_."  
  
Helena smiled, hearing what she wanted to, and let him go. Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "Not anymore, Jason, I mean it."  
  
Jason nodded and walked off, clearly embarrassed. Brennan swallowed hard, imagining what she would do if he had done something wrong. "Damn, Helena, you are a feral."  
  
Helena raised her eyebrows. "It is my gift, as well as my curse."

* * *


End file.
